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A Century of Political Struggle 1904 - 2004 Socialist Studies 2004

What is still a unique feature of the SPGB is that we have no leaders: we reject the principle of leadership since we argue that intelligent, thoughtful, class-conscious workers, organising themselves politically to establish Socialism, simply do not need leaders. Only sheep need leaders: a mature, class-conscious working class do not. For this reason, the SPGB does not see itself as any sort of vanguard party. Its role is simply that of a tool or instrument that the class-conscious working class can use to achieve the political control necessary to end the wages system and the whole system of class exploitation. The working class, who run this system of society from top to bottom, who make everything, who invent everything, who manage everything: we are quite capable establishing on sound footings a new society which will work in the interest of the whole community. What is still lacking is revolutionary Socialist class-consciousness, and to help develop that is the main task of the SPGB now, as it was a hundred years ago.

APPENDIX MEMBERS MISCELLANEOUS


At the time of the Party's 50th Anniversary the Socialist Standard published half a dozen short appreciations of some early members. Now, after a further fifty years, direct links to those early years are few, although there are some still alive who knew founder members. The Party has always claimed to be made up of ordinary working men and women and, while this is true, the contributions that Socialist knowledge has made possible have been extraordinary. The Party has produced many outstanding writers and speakers, as well as many very able organisers, committee workers and literature sellers, often in the same person. The inter-war years and the period following WWII had the peculiarity of producing individual characters the like of which our current era of conformity, television and computers seems incapable of. In all their varied capacities, the Party has been the product of its members; people who have striven first to learn about and then to work for Socialism. The names mentioned here are representative and by no means exhaustive. Many deserve biographies of their own, but for now brief notes must suffice. Quite at random, let's begin with: Jimmy Banks, a member of the old South West London Branch: a regular and effective speaker at Clapham Common, always bringing along his sense of humour. Ernie Guy, a Lewisham Branch member and long-time member of the Executive Committee. His knowledge of printing was put to good use in the production of Party publications. Frank Dawes, a member of the old Camberwell Branch. A regular supporter of local meetings at Rushcroft Road and East Street. He spoke from the platform on rare occasions and wrote a few articles for the Socialist Standard. Henry Crooke, Woolwich Branch. He was a regular canvasser and literature seller; he was also the main local support for meetings at Beresford Square, Woolwich. Over the years, outdoor venues such as Earls Court have only yielded to Socialist propaganda because of support from members such as Jim Garnham, Alfie Towers and Ron Mitchell, among others. Joe Bell is still an active member; another very able literature seller. Though

getting on a little in years, he is a constant supporter of our Marchmont Street meetings, attends branch meetings and sells literature at Tolpuddle along with other members. Ken Knight was a writer, speaker and former Executive Committee member. He first joined the Party in 1943 and was General Secretary for a period. His adherence to Party principles led to his being verbally attacked by the revisionists and he was among those who reconstituted the Party in 1991. He also contributed articles to Socialist Studies. Arthur George was for many years a very efficient General Secretary, always at Conference and involved in behind-the-scenes administrative work. His wife, Phyllis, helped organise Party propaganda and supported Party activities in general. Their son, Peter, is still an active member. Joe McGuinness, Islington Branch, was a literature seller of great enthusiasm, also a speaker, and, as a merchant seaman, always took literature on trips to Australia among other places. Bob and Helen Rose were Lewisham members, both of untiring enthusiasm. Regular supporters of Head Office meetings, always willing to discuss Socialism with new-comers. Howard and Rose Weaver were both EC members in the 1960s and 70s. In the late 1960s (dates from memory) about a dozen London members hired a mini-bus and drove to Coventry to do some out-door, weekend meetings. A group of local hooligans, unfamiliar with the discussion of ideas, were about to charge the platform; Rose defied them and stood her ground between them and the platform. Bob and Frances Ambridge were both long-term activists from the interwar years. Bob, an EC member for many years, carried on speaking at lunch-hour meetings at Tower Hill, long after retirement. Lisa Bryan, who died in her 30s, was a clear-thinking member, speaker and propaganda organiser. In the early 1950s, Lisa was the opening speaker at Clapham Common. Her relatively soft voice did not carry against a louder voice from the so-called Communist Party platform, about 30 yards away. They had an audience of about 150. Tony Turner, who was due to succeed Lisa as our main speaker, went into the C. P. meeting and challenged with a series of questions about their slavish support for Soviet State-capitalism. After a while their speaker, in exasperation, said: "Why don't you go and hold your own meeting?" Turner replied: "That's just what I will do - does anyone care to join we?" Within two minutes the audience was ours. Tony Turner regularly spoke for hours on end in Hyde Park and did lunch hour meetings at Lincolns Inn Fields. He was on our platform in Hyde Park on the Sunday war broke out in September 1939, denouncing war and capitalism. He remained an active speaker into the mid-1950s when, sadly, he became disaffected and began attacking the Party's case. He left the Party, but only demonstrated that his strength had been in putting the case for Socialism. We are unlikely again to see his equal as an open-air speaker. Grace Wood joined the Party in 1935 and is still a regular supporter of our Marchmont Street meetings. When controversy arose during the 1950s and 60s, Grace, as a delegate to Conference for Lewisham Branch, was always among the loyal members defending the Party against would-be wiseacres. Horace Jarvis, as well as being an active Socialist, was a naturopath. Despite his attention to dietary matters he died at about 60 years of age. When the EC was unable to agree between various ideas for a new pamphlet against religion, he wrote and published a pamphlet attacking religion called Christianity and Socialism. Harry Young was another outstanding Party speaker. He was among those expelled by the Clapham revisionists who helped reconstitute the Party in 1991. A colourful character about whom anecdotes abound. He debated for the Party and was an out-door speaker who commanded respect and attention. He died, age 94, in December 1995. Cecil and Kathy Devereux both go back more years than most members can remember, joining the Party in 1934. Like many others, they were always there

giving support. Cecil was another who helped reconstitute the Party. His final lecture at Marchmont Street, on William Morris, was in December 2000. He died in 2001. Joyce Millen was a dynamic propaganda organiser during the 1940s and 50s. She was very thorough and did vital work when outdoor meetings were our main form of propaganda in the post-war years. She occasionally spoke herself, both indoors and outdoors, and was a constant supporter at Hyde Park. Among numerous members who could always be relied upon to do all the background things that made the Party tick, were Percy and Maggie Hallard. Maggie was also busy at Conference time. Vic Phillips was a General Secretary during the 1960s. The Cottis's kept activity going in Southend for many years. Stan Killingbeck, a face to be picked out of those large-group Conference photographs, was a background activist who died in early middle-age. 'Dusty' Miller was another Lewisham stalwart in regular attendance at his branch and Head Office. Willie Travers, who is reputed to have learned Spanish in his 80's, was an enthusiast of Glasgow Branch. Florrie Evans, whose father had been a founder-member, was another tireless Head Office worker and typed up numerous handwritten articles for members. Comrade Beck, an old Hackney member, sold literature from an attache case outside Hyde Park for many years. Going home late one Sunday, he was stopped by police who wanted to know what he had in the case. Beck replied: "dynamite", as he opened the case to reveal Party pamphlets. Sam Cosham was another regular at Rushcroft Road and East Street meetings; he was a member of the old Camberwell Branch. Jim D'Arcy was another of those expelled by the Clapham mob and actively involved in our reconstitution. Originally from Glasgow, where his father was a founder member of the Party in 1904. He was a long-term all-round activist, his membership going back to the 1940's. He was always ready to explain intricacies about the Socialist case. Because of his loyalty, he was among those singled out to be "discredited' by those seeking to change the Party. His wife, Olive and sons, Tony and Alan, are all Party members working for Socialism. Doug Ayres, who seems always to have been around, spoke at Party electoral meetings in the 1960s, and did professional lectures on aspects of technology at Head Office. He is still a frequent supporter at our Marchmont Street meetings. Ted Lake was Party treasurer for many years, also an EC member. In frequently difficult times, he made sure the Party's limited funds were used wisely. Bob and Mary Barltrop had two periods in the Party (currently not members). Bob is the author of The Monument, The Story of the Socialist Party of Great Britain. He was a Party speaker and a writer who, among other things, contributed to the 50th Anniversary Socialist Standard. When he and Mary rejoined in 1970, he began doing editorial work for the Socialist Standard, which made him the target for abuse by those intent upon disruption. Meirion Davies and his wife, Doreen, joined the Party in 1949. Meirion was a quietly spoken person who was clear thinking and possessed a very sound grasp of the case for Socialism. Both he and Doreen served as EC members, and Meirion served for some years as Literature Secretary. Doreen did a stint as a very effective Conference chairman. Both were also active at branch level. Sadly, Meirion died in 1996. Doreen is still an enthusiastic member. Clifford Groves was the Party's first Parliamentary candidate on 13 July 1945 for the Paddington North constituency. The great high-light of that first campaign was filling the Metropolitan Theatre in the Edgeware Road to beyond its 2,000 capacity. (The theatre has since been demolished.) Clifford was a powerful speaker with a wide knowledge. He excelled at debating. A Liberal woman opponent left the platform in tears when he related the history of Liberal factory owners of the 19th century, whose sweat-shops were built on the broken lives of children's labour. In the Paddington North by-election of 1953, Clifford Groves' health having deteriorated, Bill Waters, a London bus-driver, became the Party's candidate. Again, the Metropolitan Theatre was filled. Tony Turner was co-speaker. During this election rally, a then well-known Hyde Park anarchist, Philip Sansum, challenged the Party. He was invited onto our stage to speak for 10 minutes in opposition. In reply, Turner slaughtered him. There was a short report of the event in the Daily Express.

Bill and Sadie Buchanan are regular supporters of our Marchmont Street meetings. Bill also records the meetings on tape and makes copies on request, and has been helpful in other ways. Joyce Knight is one of those members who seems always to have been there, engaged in administrative work of one kind or another. She is still lending her best efforts to keeping the Party's wheels turning and is as enthusiastic as ever. It is inevitable that, by virtue of their long tenure of membership and the consistent intensity of their activities, some members will be better known and remembered than others. Three such members were Gilbert McClatchie (Gilmac), Edgar Hardcastle (Hardy), and Cyril May. Gilmac came originally from Ireland. He read widely of Socialist theory and was always willing to explain ideas to younger members. On a visit to his flat in the Swiss Cottage area, two young members were impressed by the number of books. Shelf space filled, books lay in neat piles on the floor. He said there were more than a thousand; when asked how many he had read he replied "all of them". It was later disclosed that he read Lewis H Morgan's Ancient Society every year. Gilmac was a tutor at Party classes and an Editorial Committee member for the Socialist Standard, for which he wrote numerous first-rate articles, particularly during WWII, when just bringing out a copy every month was extremely difficult, due to emergency powers supposed to be helping to save democracy. Hardy served with Gilmac on the Editorial Committee for many years. He eagerly engaged in many aspects of Party work. Countless articles by him appear over the single letter 'H', also numerous unsigned editorials. He was a superb pamphleteer as any reading of the 1950 pamphlet The Socialist Party and War will reveal. He specialised in Marxist economics about which he frequently wrote and spoke, as well as running classes as part of the Party's Education Programme. Hardy was a firstrate indoor speaker and did some outstanding debates for the Party; one of these was against Barbara Wootton, a Federal Unionist, from which a pamphlet was produced. Another in the early 1970s was against a leading Tory, Sir Keith Joseph, on Socialism v Capitalism at a school in Streatham. He was among those expelled by the Clapham desperadoes and helped in reconstituting the Party on its original 1904 basis as the principled Party for Socialism. He continued to write and speak, much to the annoyance of those who had expelled him, some of whom actually tried to break up meetings. Hardy's commitment as a Socialist went back to WWI during which he distinguished himself as a Conscientious Objector. His father was a founder member of the Party who regularly supported our meetings on Clapham Common into the early 1950's. Hardy died in 1995 at the ripe old age of 96. Cyril May was our General Secretary when he died, aged 83, in October 2003. He was an indefatigable and dedicated worker for Socialism. He joined the Party in 1940 and stood by its Principles as a Conscientious Objector. In 1950 he was running speakers' classes at no. 2 Rugby Chambers, our Head Office at the time. For about six decades he was himself a very able speaker. Cyril was among those who endured abuse at the hands of the Clapham "modernisers"; he became Secretary when the Party was reconstituted in June 1991. Right up to the time he became ill, he was looking forward to and helping to plan activities for the Centenary of the Party in June 2004. Very sadly he did not live to see it. He was always involved in planning and organising Party propaganda and literature drives. During the 1960s and 70s, he and Comrade Michael Sansum, as the Propaganda Committee, would be at Head Office long after the EC finished at 11 pm on Tuesday evenings. No effort was too much for either of them. Michael Sansum is still an active, and very hardworking, Party member. It will be seen that natural wastage has taken its toll. Of the last half-century it has become a question of the memories of surviving members. The names of those mentioned here are in general typical of 20 or 30 times as many who have contributed significantly in various ways to the work for Socialism. Having completed 100 years of such work, and in paying this small tribute to members past and present, we are as aware as always that the future of Socialism lies in the hands of members and supporters yet to come.

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